Howards End Chapter 43 Summary

  • Margaret is confused and horrified by all of this. How could any of this have happened? All Leonard wanted was to experience the beauty in the world, and this is what he got.
  • Helen is also terrified, and all she can do is try to be calm and pick flowers to lay in poor Leonard's arms. Miss Avery tries to soothe her by reminding that Leonard never even knew about the child.
  • Margaret answers the policemen's questions, and tells them that, though Charles may have provoked Leonard's heart attack, it was bound to happen by some means. The doctor agrees that this is how Leonard died.
  • Margaret and Helen decide to return to Germany; Margaret hasn't heard from Henry, but assumes that their relationship is over for good. She peers into his future, imagining that he will recover from this incident, continue to prosper, and keep living life as he has so far.
  • At this moment, she's called back to meet with him – Crane comes to pick her up and take her to Charles's house.
  • Margaret informs her husband that she intends to go to Germany, and cannot forgive him for what he's said or done.
  • Mr. Wilcox is exhausted, and they sit on the grass to talk. Margaret coldly returns the keys to Howards End, and refuses to hear what he has to say – now, she thinks she can see through his façade of kindness, and knows that it's just a masculine trick to make her swoon.
  • She tells Henry that her life is with Helen now, and they're going to Munich the next day, right after the inquest.
  • Henry informs Margaret that the verdict at the inquest is not going to be heart disease – instead, it will be manslaughter. Charles is going to go to prison. Henry is totally heartbroken.
  • Margaret is not suddenly moved to change her mind – but as the day goes on, and Charles is sentenced to three years in prison, Henry himself breaks down. He gives himself up to Margaret, and she, relenting, takes him to Howards End.